1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a front wheel drive system for a bicycle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Attempts have been made over the years to make bicycling more efficient. Only a fraction of the energy exerted by a bicyclist's upper body is transferred to the drive system of the bicycle being ridden. In particular, as a rider climbs a hill on a bicycle, the rider alternately pushes and pulls on the handlebars in conjunction with the pedal strokes to allow the rider to push harder on the pedals. Much of the energy developed in the arms and upper body of the rider, however, is dissipated into the handlebar and stem of the bicycle, and only a small portion of the energy expended aids in increasing the force applied through the rider's legs to the pedals.
Several attempts have been made to utilize the strength of the upper body to drive the front wheel of a bicycle or to increase the overall exercise benefits of cycling:
U.S. Pat. No. 585,421, issued to Bemis on Jun. 29, 1897, shows a front wheel drive system with rocking handlebars. The front hub is provided on both sides with clutch type-freewheels. Drive cables connected to the handlebars are wound around the clutches and are maintained taut by coil springs within the clutches. Guide pulleys are provided to guide the drive cables.
U.S. Pat. No. 616,021, issued to Schaibly on Dec. 13, 1898, shows a device for converting the rocking motion of the handlebars into a forward rotation of the front wheel. In the different embodiments, the left and right portions of the front drive system are interconnected so as to simultaneously push and pull a chain or belt connected to a directional pulley on the front wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,370, issued to Lindsey, Jr. on Apr. 3, 1979, shows a variation of a front wheel drive system for a bicycle in which a multi-bar linkage uses a forward pivoting motion of the handlebar relative to the bicycle to drive a sprocket. The sprocket then drives a freewheel connected to the front wheel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,640 issued to Lindsey on Feb. 1, 1994 shows a similar front drive device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,200, issued to Jones on May 15, 1990, shows a tricycle with an oscillating handlebar drive system. The right and left handlebars are connected to the right and left footrests, respectively. The back wheel is driven by alternate pushing of the right and left handlebars to pull a chain which drives the rear wheels of the tricycle. A spring resets the chain when pedal force is released.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,097, issued to Bono et al. on May 3, 1994, shows a front wheel drive system. A set of normally locked handlebars can be unlocked, which allows them to pivot about a point forward of the bicycle. A spring-loaded chain is alternately pushed and pulled by the rocking of the handlebars to drive a freewheel attached to the front wheel to provide for forward propulsion of the bicycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,195, issued to Sommer et al. on Jul. 12, 1994, shows a handlebar pivotally connected by a cable to a ratchet drive system. When the handlebar is lifted, the cable is pulled forward causing a drive pin to engage an auxiliary chaining to drive the rear wheel.
Swiss Patent 173,599, published on Feb. 16, 1935, shows a ratchet front wheel drive system for converting the pumping motion of the handlebars into a forward propulsion of the bicycle.
French Patent 782,216, published on May 31, 1935, shows several embodiments of a geared front wheel drive system for utilizing various handlebar motions to drive the front wheel.
British Patent 500,787, published on Feb. 15, 1939, shows a front wheel drive system for a bicycle, in which a single-cable drive system is used to convert the rocking motion of the handlebars into a forward revolution of the front wheel.
None of the above references, taken either singly or in any combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.